Be in sync with Church’s stand, urges KCBC

KOCHI: The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council, in a statement issued here on Thursday, urged retreat gurus, orators and those active on social media with connections to the Church to ensure that their stand is in sync with the official stand of the Church.

The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Councilstatement comes in the wake of the comment by Fr Mathew Naickomparambil, a popular retreat guru, quoting a WhatsApp message, that Sr Abhaya died while running away from a thief. KCBC said all interference from those close to the church, be it retreat gurus, official organisations or other organisations of Christians, should be rational and in tune with the teaching of Christ. 

The council also condemned the dissemination of statements made by individuals as the stand of the church. The priest’s comments drew severe criticism on social media, with many terming the speech a move to exonerate the priest and nun who have been convicted in the sensational Sr Abhaya’s murder case.